Tough Love (there's no place I'd rather be than in your arms)
by iciclebeanbags
Summary: Alternative title: Izuku Midoriya's Ultimate Plan to Woo Kacchan and Win His Heart. Izuku planned this out so meticulously, there is no way he's going to fail. He's here to win Kacchan's heart and he will get out the other end victorious at any cost. In which, Izuku and Katsuki are just awkward teenagers going on their first date.
1. Chapter 1

Tough Love (there's no place I'd rather be than in your arms)

Izuku is ready for this.

He scans his notebook one more time, looking over the details of his plan. He's got this in the bag. He has done his research, and if there was anything that Izuku excelled in, it was research. So logically speaking, there is no reason for him to be nervous. Nerves are for those who come unprepared, not him. Nope. If he just follows the step-by-step guide, then things should work out, right? Right?

But then again, this was Kacchan. And nothing having to do with Kacchan has ever been easy. Besides, this was their _first_ date. Frankly, he doesn't even know how he snagged himself one in the first place. What entity worked in his favor. What stars aligned themselves to give Izuku this golden chance. He can't mess this up. It's simply not in option.

But what if he _does_? What if he does screws up so badly, Kacchan refuses to speak to him ever again? And, after all the effort they put into their relationship to get to this point. What if Kacchan gets so angry he decides to-

"Izuku, darling, you're awfully quiet, is something the matter?" His mom enquires from the driver's seat.

"Hah?! No, everything's fine! W-why wouldn't it be?" Izuku tries to channel some confidence into his voice, hoping that maybe if he can fake it, it'll be enough to convince his mom, and himself.

His mother sneaks a look at him, and smiles in that knowing way of hers. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"I'm not worried."

"We're here," his mom announces, and he absolutely does not jump in his seat. He is just mildly startled, which a perfectly reasonable reaction to have considering how quickly they arrived.

His mom drops him off by the entrance of Kacchan's house. "Tell Mitsuki and Masaru I said hi. I'll come to pick you up at 11 like we agreed," she sends him a warm smile, and it helps ease his nerves, if only a little. "Have fun, Izuku." He nods her goodbye, and she drives off.

Izuku steals a final glance at his small notebook as he pats down his suit trousers. Wallet, check. Phone, check. Napkins, check. Flowers, check. Jacket, check. He glances at his watch, noting he's fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Excellent. He grabs his pen and checks the first box on the page.

_Izuku Modoryia's Ultimate Plan to Woo Kacchan and Win His Heart:_

_Phase 3: First Date:_

_Be on Time _ _ +2_

Being on time is an essential part of making a good first impression and could potentially dictate the mood for the whole night. He cannot afford to make such a rookie mistake, especially if he hopes to improve the odds of the date ending on a positive note.

With newfound rigor, he stuffs his notebook in his back pocket and strides to the front door.

Izuku assigned himself a point system within each step of his elaborate plan to help build up to his final goal: to kiss Kacchan. There are 50 point to be scored throughout the night, and if he gets them all, then he will make his move. This was the only way he could think of to guarantee the likelihood of his success.

Statistically speaking, if he accomplishes everything he aims to do this evening, then his chances of being rejected will be significantly lower (about 86%) when he attempts to kiss Kacchan. Which doesn't say he won't reject him, just that it will be less likely. He can still settle for the options with lesser points, like hugging Kacchan (40 points) or holding his hand (35 points). He doesn't mind. Actually, he will gladly take anything he can get. As long as it's from if Kacchan, he tells himself. But he's feeling lucky and wants to aim high.

Obviously, this plan is still in its tentative stages of development, as there are still other sections in need of further expansion, like 'Proposal' and 'Touching Kacchan's Butt'. However, if Izuku is anything, then he is thorough and determined. He will see his plan to the end. In the end, no one knows Kacchan more than he does; his odds are quite good.

Just as he's about set foot on the welcoming mat, the door is violently swung open and he barely dodges in time, nose inches away from being taken out. He stumbles backwards, distraught, but quickly recovers and tries to look presentable.

Crimson red eyes stare back at him.

* * *

Katsuki doesn't get nervous. What the hell.

He's been pacing his room for the last hour, trying to figure out what to wear. He planned the outfit in his head the night before, but now that he's wearing it, he's having second thoughts. He stands in front of his mirror, glaring at his reflection. Red tank top, black cargo jeans, his favorite orange-black combat boots and a chain necklace as a final touch. Not too over the top, which suits the occasion, he thinks.

Afterall, Deku wasn't the type to dress fancy. Come to think of it, he has never seen the nerd in anything remotely presentable in his life. He likes his comfort clothes too much. So, you can't blame Katsuki for keeping it casual; he didn't want to overdo it and make Deku look like a buffoon on their first date. That would be cruel, and Katsuki is not that.

But then again, he didn't ask Deku where they were going for dinner and he's kind of regretting it. He's feeling woefully unprepared. But, only kind of, because Katsuki doesn't do regrets. He just doesn't.

"Katsuki! Get your ass over here, your date's at the door," yells the old hag from the living room, she might as well set a fire alarm. Fuck, what's the time?

He quickly grabs his things and rushes to the front door, only to stop himself halfway upon hearing laughter coming from the living room. He checks the clock on the wall, and growls. It's too early.

"The fuck. You making fun of me? Wretched witch." Great, just what he needed from his mom at a time like this.

"Calm down. I'm just teasing you," the old hag wipes the tears from her eyes. Liar, she just likes to see him suffer. "Hard for me to believe my little monster is going on his first ever date. No, seriously, I can't believe someone would willingly put up with your troublesome ass."

He twists around sharply and is just about to give her a piece of his mind, when he notices Deku walking toward the porch from the window.

Oh fuck fuck _fuck_,. He's here!

Katsuki brain seizes to function for a second and he practically runs to the door and flings it open.

Deku jumps back on seeing him instantly. Fucking fantastic, he almost crushed the nerd's skull with the door just now. Way to go, Katsuki. What would you do then if Deku was on the floor with a concussion before you even started your date, huh? His mom probably wouldn't be too thrilled about it.

Deku recovers relatively fast for how disheveled he looked a second ago. "Oh, hi Kacchan! You're early. I didn't expect you to open the door so soon. I mean, I didn't even knock…"

"You're early too, dumbass," Katsuki doesn't mean to snap, but oh god, Deku better not think he was so desperate that he was waiting by the entrance like some lovesick fool. Which he absolutely wasn't, okay, he asked his mom to watch it for him, and well if he likes to keep his opponents _-dates-_ on their toes then that's his business. Deku knows what he signed up for. He takes another hard look at him. "The hell you wearing?"

_Fuck him_, Deku is dressed sharp. As in, full on suit and bowtie kind of sharp, and Katsuki is seething, because now _he_ is the one looking like an ass, and he's contemplating running back into the house to change. Except, it's too late now, he's already fucked up. The nerd just _had _to go out of his way and look nice for Katsuki. The nerve of that bastard, the onetime Katsuki hopes he would show up looking like he just rolled out of bed, he disappoints him. He hates admitting it, but the nerd does look kinda…_okay_, maybe even decent, in his size-too-big brown striped suit and red sneakers. It makes ire bubble under his skin.

Deku squirms under his gaze, unruly green hair moving with the summer breeze. He mumbles in a low tone, "well, I just thought I'd wear something, um, nice for tonight, y'know, for a change. N-not that you're not dressed nice! In fact, I think you look amazing in this outfit; it suits you very well. But, I'm not even surprised, because Kacchan always looks amazing in anything he wears. Not that I'm staring at you all the time, that wouldn't be very appropriate of me -Ah!"

Deku catches himself mid-rant, seeming to have remembered something halfway, "I got you these." Katsuki finds himself with a face full of flowers blocking his view of Deku's increasingly reddening face. Why was he embarrassed? What's the big deal, he stared at him all the time too? "I hope you like them," Deku whispers.

"Huh, flowers! What am I supposed to do with them?" He can't possibly expect him to carry a large bouquet of flowers the whole night, that'll be ridiculous.

Deku's eyes widen and he hesitates before answering. "You can put them in a vase? To look at them later. I mean, you don't have to accept them, if you don't want to. I can just take them back. To the store. And ask for a refund."

It takes him a minute. Duh, he's such an idiot. "No, I want them," he declares, before taking the flowers and hurrying inside the house. He scans the living room looking for a good place to put them before, Ah! He takes his mom's roses out of the dining room vase and places the flowers Deku gave him there, instead. He'll deal with the hag's screeching later.

The plants are an interesting mixture of white, orange, and yellow. Katsuki is not much of a flower person himself, but he can see Deku put a lot of effort into picking these out. The nerd always put his 100% in everything he does, it was rather endearing. He scoffs.

Oh, right, he left Deku waiting outside.

He heads back to him. "Alright, let's fucking go."

"Have Katsuki back by eleven," his mom is yelling from inside the house.

"I will, auntie Mitsuki. Mom says hi." Deku peeks his head inside.

God, he's going to explode. He literally throws Deku out before he gets the chance to do worse, like invite himself inside.

"Move, assbag."

* * *

Well, that went well.

Izuku has miscalculated. He is terribly overdressed. He doesn't think Kacchan took to his comments too kindly. He didn't account for the fact the Kacchan would look this good and that he'll momentarily lose the connection between his brain and tongue. Typical. And, perhaps he should have played it safe and gotten it Kacchan a single rose. Or nothing at all. Was he too forward? Not forward enough?

What would All Might do at a time like this?

A cloud with All Might's face materializes on top of his head.

"_The quickest way to someone's heart is saving their life when they are in grave danger. There is no greater declaration of love then to sacrifice oneself for those you devote yourself to."_

Hm, he has a feeling this will not fly well with Kacchan. Don't get him wrong; he still considers this very good advice. Izuku admits, although a bit abashedly, that he had plenty of fantasies where he sweeps Kacchan off his feet. He can completely understand his mentor's perspective. What better time to get a smooch from Kacchan then when he carries him in his arm atop the rumble of the fight he just won.

His point remains though. He has a very strong suspicion this will not sit well with Kacchan, previous evidence in mind, so he sticks to his plan. His daydreams can live on in his head.

Cloud-All Might looks suspiciously disheartened, but he pops out of existence with a thumb up regardless.

They approach the entrance of the restaurant, and Izuku snags his chance. He takes a few strides to get ahead of Kacchan. He holds the door open and steps back to allow Kacchan to get in first. In all those online forms Deku read, opening doors was always a recurring theme that helped leave a good impression, and he will be damned if he wasn't a gentleman to Kacchan.

He puts on his best All-Might smile on and says, "After you."

"Why, thank you!" A feminine voice pipes up from behind Kacchan and a lady beams with gratitude as she enters the restaurant.

Izuku shares a long look with Kacchan.

The stretched silence starts to play on Izuku's nerves until Kacchan simply gives him a pointed glare and goes inside. "I can open doors for myself, shitty nerd," he throws over his shoulder.

"Oh, I know. I just wanted to… I mean… you see, the gesture…um," he cuts himself off before he says something he regrets. He was planning on pulling out Kacchan's chair as well, but after this, maybe he ought to pass. He brings out his notebook and pen from his back pocket and opens it to the right page.

_Compliment His Appearance -__2__ +1 (points deducted for poor delivery and questionable reception?)_

_Give him a bouquet of flowers _ _+2_

_Open the door _ _ +2_

_Pull the chair _ _ +2_

The pen hovers over the third objective. Should he deduct a point for the unexpected reaction? But, he did it perfectly. He doesn't understand why Kacchan reacted so poorly when the woman behind him was appreciative. Oh well, he ticks the third box and adds a point, leaving the fourth one blank. He still got plenty of moves up his sleeve.

"What's the hold up, nerd? You're gonna hang by yourself outside all night." Kacchan's voice pierces through his thoughts, jarring him back to reality.

"Coming, Kacchan." Izuku perks up and heads inside.

They're seated at the table Izuku made sure to reserve three weeks in advance, secluded in a quiet corner.

Izuku thinks this is the perfect opportunity to recover from the earlier misstep and tip the scale in his favor. He rehearsed his lines and practiced this conversation in his head so often, he can practically recite it in his sleep. This is his chance to get a smile from Kacchan, and possibly even more.

"So, do you have a map?"

Kacchan's head shoots up from where it was scanning the menu. "Huh? Why the fuck would I have a map?"

Hm, this is not the response he hoped for, but Izuku is not easily deterred. He continues, albeit a tad hesitant, "you know, because I can't help getting lost in your red…" Kacchan chooses to lower the menu in that instant and Izuku gets a very clear view of his well-defined upper body. His eyes betray him and dip downwards. Red flag. Red flag! Don't check out your date. Don't look at his-

He stammers, "…shirt."

Eyes. He meant to say eyes. Fuck.

Kacchan sneaks a glance at his red tank top and then squints at Izuku, seemingly considering something, before speaking up, "Is this your weird way of saying I look like an ass? Well, fuck you."

"No, that's not it at all." Izuku tries to do damage control. On the one hand, Kacchan doesn't know he was ogling his, um well, chest, which is good. On the contrary, he gravely misunderstood and somehow believes Izuku is criticizing him, which is far from the truth. He struggles to find his words. "I was trying to say, that your shirt is, uh, really nice. It really brings out your eyes?"

Woah. Smooth save. It's getting hot in here, though. Is he sweating? He hopes his shirt doesn't stain, that would be bad. He slowly slides down his chair in mortification, pointedly looking away from Kacchan's blank face.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Kacchan announces, and gets up.

This is going to be a long night


	2. Chapter 2

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Warning, it gets increasingly embarrassing as it goes on.

* * *

Chapter 2

"Hey, dude! What are you doing calling me? Aren't you supposed to be making heart eyes at Midoriya right now?" Kirishima's voice travels from the other line.

This isn't Katsuki's brightest idea, but he's feeling desperate. And if there was anything that Shitty hair excelled in, it was people. "Shut up, Shit-for-brains. This is a fucking emergency," he snaps back.

"Always here to help a bro out. Hit me with it."

Katsuki pauses. Kirishima hums, unbothered.

Then, "Give me something interesting to talk to Deku about," Katsuki says, uncharacteristically quiet.

He doesn't like admitting these things to himself, come less someone else, but he has this nagging feeling that Deku might be getting bored of him. Whenever Katsuki says anything, the nerd seems to deflate. Whether it's out of disappointment or disinterest, Katsuki isn't sure, but at this rate, Deku will ditch his ass before they even make it to the movies. Oh shit, what if he goes back to the table and Deku is not there? He'll blow the bastard's head off.

"Ask him what he likes to do for fun," Kirishima's chirpy voice comes through.

"Are you fucking with me? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"Hmm, why am I hearing myself twice? Baku-bro, are you hiding in the bathroom? That's not very manly of you, y'know."

"Fuck off." He doesn't need this right now. Kirishima is proving to be as helpful as used wad of toilet paper. It's pissing him off.

"Look, bro, I can see you're nervous, but if I were you, I wouldn't worry too much. Midoriya's a chill dude. I'm sure if you just asked him a question or two, he'll be happy to lead the conversation. Just let him talk. He wouldn't ask you out if he didn't like your company, you feel?"

"You can't see me for shit, dumbass. And I asked for a topic of conversation, not some sagely advice fuckery. Are you gonna be fucking useful or not?"

"Alright, lover boy. Talk about sport. Or, schoolwork. Or, video games. I'd talk about Mario Cart."

"Lame." Katsuki hangs up before Kirishima gets the chance to reply.

There's a brief flash of relief on Kacchan's features when he comes back from the bathroom, but it's gone as soon as it appears.

He also looks oddly tense, posture uneasy. Most concerningly, he's wearing his 'attack-mode' face; it's the same one he has before making a countermove. Izuku would know, as he has been on the receiving end of it countless of times. According to his Hero Analysis for the Future Notebook #14, there is always a split-second interval where Kacchan pulls back from attacking his opponent directly to formulate a concrete strategy, or deliver a finishing blow, ending the fight in his favor. Although he seems like a ruthless fighter, he is, in fact, an exceptional strategist as well.

This setting, however, is neither combat ground nor a training field, which immediately puts Izuku on high alert. Is Kacchan sensing danger? He gives a quick sweep of the restaurant, taking care to scan the occupants of each tables. It seems relatively safe. Then, what is…?

"How do you- shit- what do you like to do for fun, nerd?" Kacchan says, seeming to be very interested in the fork on the table now.

Oh. This is easy. Typical first date question. Izuku has proudly prepared a list with answers for any possible question Kacchan might fire at him, with an optional anecdote to keep things interesting. He doesn't even need to get flustered for this.

"Me? Ah, well, I normally just hang out with my friends, and we do all kinds of things together, like watch movies, go to the mall, and train. I don't really mind what we do really, so long as we're enjoying each other's company." Kacchan looks up at him, and without meaning to, Izuku finds himself getting prematurely excited. Good, he grabbed his attention.

"Of course, there are times I just train on my own. Actually, I just remembered this really funny incident." Haha, right. "While running behind the school on a Wednesday afternoon, I stumbled on All Might-"

Izuku freezes. He watches in horror as a traitorous drop of spit travels, unwarranted, across the table to where Kacchan is sitting. To his utter dismay, and due to the complete lack of sympathy fate has for him, it lands squarely on Kacchan's right eyebrow, and Izuku wants to die. He wants the floor to gallop him up right now and swallow him whole. In fact, he doesn't even mind if the league of villain crashed the restaurant this instant and saved him from this humiliation.

Kacchan raises his hand and subtly uses his middle finger to brush his eyebrow. Fantastic, Izuku should probably just move out of the country and change his name to 'Spitsuku Salivya', a much more fitting title.

"What happened after you saw All Might?" Kacchan is leaning forward on the table, eyes watching Izuku intently. "Are you finishing the damn story?"

Izuku removes his arms from where they were hiding his face. God, what was he even talking about? Right, hobbies. Interests. Training. "Ah- so I caught All Might just as I was finishing my run behind school grounds." Izuku is thankful he has these stories memorized; he's essentially running on autopilot right now. "I was heading back to the dorms but couldn't help ask if he needed any help with carrying all those stacks of paper and folders. And then he goes,"

Izuku shifts his gears into work mode, applying all the muscle memory he can muster into the final product. He twists his face and Aha! "Never fear, young Midoriya! These arms lifted wrecked multi-story buildings before, I'm sure one pile of papers should be no big deal." Izuku says, with his best All Might-face on, followed by a hearty belly laugh.

Kacchan stares, eyes wide.

This is awkward. Izuku quickly reverts to his normal face, opting to continue to the next part, but is quickly interrupted when Kacchan starts laughing.

Wait.

Kacchan's laughing. It's not a chuckle, or a snicker. He's full on cackling, loud and unrestrained. And, it's beautiful. People are staring. He's listening to Kacchan snort and try to cover it with the back of his hand. It's truly the most magnificent sound he's ever heard. People are staring. Forget about wooing Kacchan; he might be the one being charmed tonight.

Hold on, he just made Kacchan laugh. That's a solid 15 points on his Date Chart. Izuku is scoring, and he doesn't even know what he said that was so funny.

_Make Kacchan laugh +15_

The blond recovers after a while, and manages to say, "can you…can you do the face again?"

It takes Izuku a second, then his eyes shine, and he nods enthusiastically. He morphs back into his All Might face and forgets about the rest of the story.

* * *

Katsuki doesn't usually stay out past 8pm.

Nonetheless, when Deku asked him out for dinner and a movie last week, that wasn't exactly at the forefront of his mind. Not that he would've declined anyway, so really Katsuki can't complain. He is feeling slightly sluggish though. Whatever. Katsuki fought countless enemies before, nighttime is just going to be one of them.

Katsuki lets Deku pay for the snacks and tickets at the cinema. Or rather, Deku fumes about only paying for the snacks and tickets because Katsuki covered their dinner bill ("It's not fair, Kacchan. I picked the place so I should be the one paying the bill." "Can it, shitty Deku. Give me the check, or we're settling this outside."). Deku relented eventually, although he did have to physically pry the receipt from his iron grip. Stubborn ass. The whole ordeal could've been resolved quicker if the waitress didn't leave the bill in front of Deku, giving him the upper hand. Bitch, how dare she.

They're filling in their seats in front of the screen. Deku takes off his suit jacket to drape on the arm rest, then settles down with a large drink and a popcorn to share. When the lights dim, Katsuki pulls his phone out to put it on silent, when a text pops up from a familiar number. He pales.

'look behind you ;)'

What the fuck.

He swivels briskly in his seat. There, a few rows behind him. Bleeding hell. Not only is Shitty Hair here, but he brought the whole ass circus with him. They wave in his direction like the dumbasses they are.

Fuck his life. He gives them the greatest death glare he can muster, promising them substantial pain when this is all over, but like clueless monkeys running into an electric pole repeatedly, their smiles don't waver. Just his luck that he befriended clowns with no regard for their personal safety whatsoever.

His phone pings again.

'don't look angry. i told u i never leave a bro hanging. we are here to support u. 3' -Kirishima

'did u two smooch yet?' -Dunce Face

He throws them the middle finger.

"Kacchan?" Deku is looking at him, concerned and slightly suspicious. Fuck, he can't find out about this.

"Pay attention to the movie, dipshit." He half-shouts, paying the people around him no consideration.

Deku doesn't look convinced, but he stops paying attention to him, at least. He decides to send a quick text to the groupchat before muting his phone. Hopefully, they'll get the hint.

'Go home or die, fuckers.'

Katsuki settles back in his seat and tries to ignore the eyes on the back of his head, choosing to focus on the movie instead. It's the eighth installment of the All Might's Golden Age Chronicles, which is decent enough. Nothing noteworthy in comparison to the rest of the serious though. The actors lack authenticity, and the intimate details of the signature moves are all over the place. He can't wait to complain about this to Deku when the movie's over.

One minute he's watching Sir Nighteye's character explain the hostage situation to a group of pro heroes, the next he's blinking his eyes open to stare at a black screen.

…

What.

His head feels heavy from where it's resting. The faint smell of cologne hits his nostrils when he finally registers the warm figure pressed to his side. No-

Fuck Fuck Fuck.

He fell asleep on Deku's shoulder, of all places.

He springs up, feeling the slight wetness on the corner of his mouth. Shit, has he been drooling too? Great. As if his luck hasn't fucked him over enough. He hurriedly wipes at his chin and looks back to where he was resting his head and holy fuck. A dark patch is starting to form on Deku's shoulder. Fuck this bullshit. Katsuki screwed up.

"Shit, Deku, your shirt."

Deku is just sitting there, stiff as a board, head still facing the dark screen. His lips are trembling, and he seems to be …vibrating? He wouldn't be surprised if Deku decided this whole thing was, in fact, a fluke and walked out on him right now, leaving him with what little dignity he has left.

Still not a sound from the nerd. Is he silently mocking him? Like hell. Katsuki grinds his teeth, and seethes, menacing. "Deku."

Looking like he's just been slapped, the idiot finally turns to face him. "Oh, Kacchan, you're awake? I hope you rested well. I didn't want to bother you, so I thought I'll wait till you wake up. Luckily, the next viewing doesn't start till much later, and the cleaners were kind enough to let us stay a while longer."

Katsuki stares back, dumbfounded and still muddled from sleep. Has he been out for that long? He missed out on most of the movie.

"Well, if you excuse me, Kacchan, I have to use the men's room." Legs somewhat shaky, Deku attempts to stand up. Katsuki quickly grabs his arm.

"What about your shirt?"

"Huh? It's fin- "

"You can have mine." Katsuki makes a move to take off his tank top. He's not about to let Deku walk around with his ruined dress-shirt. What kind of date would he be then?

Deku squawks and awkwardly fumbles to slide Katsuki's shirt back over his torso. "Kacchan, no! Wait. Not here. I mean, you don't have to. Gah- I have to go. Pee. I need to pee." With that, he gets up and leaves their row. He sends a wave and a smile behind Katsuki then stalks away.

Hm, what's that about?

For a sweet blessed second, he forgets about the morons sitting in the back. He growls viciously at them only to receive thumb-ups and hand hearts. Pikachu is making kissy faces. He's going to hurl.

Katsuki tries not to feel dejected as he absentmindedly shakes the empty drink bottle. Stupid Deku letting him nap on his arm like he belongs there or some shit. His hand finds his face. Groaning, he slides down the chair in frustration. That nerd is going to be the end of him someday.

He pulls out his phone to check the time when he notices the screen bombarded with messages.

'wow bakugou you sent midoriya running for his life hahaha' -Dunce Face

'a little early to be taking off your clothes dude' -Tape Arms

'AWWWW NICE MOVES EXPLODY BOY😉' -Raccoon Eyes

'bud u might wanna tune down the slobber for next time just fyi. it's not sexy.' -Kirishima

He doesn't have to read the rest. That's it. They're dead. No mercy. He ignites sparks in his palm and goes for the kill.

* * *

It's a chilly night.

That's the first thing Izuku thinks as they step out the movie theatre. From the corner of his eyes, he notices the goosebumps running on Kacchan's arms as he stands outside.

Without delay, Izuku immediately strips his jacket off, and offers it to Kacchan, the sole reason he brought the garment in the first place, who just happens to be gaping at him like he grew another head.

"You can have my jacket." Please take my Jacket. If Kacchan lets him do this, then maybe Izuku can salvage the night. It's a size bigger so it should fit him perfectly.

Perhaps it was the sleep still tethering on the edges of Kacchan's eyes, or the relatively quiet street reverberating Izuku's word, or the darkness of the night shielding them in privacy. Whatever it is that compels Kacchan to nod slowly and turn around to allow him to gently drab the suit jacket over his shoulders. His fingers brush Kacchan's collarbone and Izuku feels butterflies climb their way from his stomach to his throat. His head spins.

He hopes the heat in his face is not visible when Kacchan looks back at him.

They walk in silence afterwards. Izuku wants to bring up the movie for discussion, but Kacchan fell asleep not even halfway through so that might be a sore spot. What a shame. He prepared an incredibly lengthy critique just for this occasion. He doesn't know what else to talk about and he's feeling the pressure to fill the silence.

He sneaks a glance at Kacchan, who is currently clutching the flaps of Izuku's blazer with one hand to keep it around his frame. Izuku tries not to smile too widely in victory. Not to brag, but he feels pretty damn accomplished right now. Giving Kacchan his jacket is ten points on his Date Chart. Ten. Even with the deducted points from the dinner pill (+5 +3), that still brings his sum to 35 points. Which means…

He can hold Kacchan's hand.

His eyes travel to where the object of his affection lays, dangling limply on Kacchan's side, unobscured by the jacket, taunting him. He gulps and tries to ignore his heartbeat thundering in his ears. Come on, Izuku. You can do this.

If he can just hook his pinky to Kacchan's, then the rest should be a walk in the park, right? If he can only overcome this brick-thick barrier and just touch him.

He inches closer to Kacchan's side, without visibly crowding him, in case he wanted to pull away. He tries to casually swing his arm in his general vicinity. He could reach out easily if he wanted to. There is nothing stopping him from lacing their fingers together now.

He's close.

So close.

* * *

All things considered, Katsuki was feeling fairly content with where the night was going.

That is until they pass a rowdy local pub and some bastard decides to shove Deku with his shoulder as he heads the opposite way. Deku is completely taken off-balance and staggers forward. Katsuki promptly grabs his collar from the back to keep his nose from hitting the pavement.

"Watch where you're going, dwerb." The man, big built, bald and smelling of alcohol, spits in their direction. Literally. Katsuki is disgusted.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to pump into you. I wasn't paying attention," Deku bows his head in apology and Katsuki feels anger boil under his skin.

"Oi, Deku, don't apoloqize to this piece of shit. He's the one strutting around with noodles for legs. Bastard can't even walk in a straight line." Katsuki is now fully facing the bald guy. He didn't come out tonight looking for a fight, but he'd be lying if he said he isn't thrilled at the prospect of one. He needs to show this guy who exactly he's messing with.

"What did you just say, punk? Are you looking to get your teeth knocked out?" The other man gets into a defensive stand, skin on his arms glowing with a layer of…black fluid? Is that his quirk?

Sparks detonating on his palm, hands at the ready, he's gives a miniscule explosion purely for theatrics. Maybe this asshole will be smart enough to back down before things get ugly.

Deku attempts to defuse the situation by standing between them. "Kacchan, please. There is no need for this. It will make a scene; plus, it's unnecessary." He turns his attention to the man. "Sir, we did not mean to upset you. We should be leaving-"

"Hold on. I know where I've seen you and your big mouth before. You're that kid, the one who won the UA Sport's Festival and then got kidnapped," the older man scoffs. "No wonder. How the hell did they let someone like you roam the streets without a leash, huh? What a waste. They let just about anyone become a hero these days."

"Take that back!" Deku cries, unconcerned with the small crowd that gathered outside the pub. Before Katsuki gets a chance to even react, green sparks start heating the air around them as Deku gets into a battle stance.

"How dare you speak to Kacchan that way?"

There is no sweetness, no kindness to Deku's words; the soft tone from before completely abandoned for this hostile demeanor. Face hardened, eyes glistening with determination, Deku is daring this fool to provoke him further, driven by sheer confidence alone.

It is utterly reckless, unbelievably careless, lacking any kind of tact.

It's the hottest shit Katsuki has ever seen.

Now, Katsuki isn't the kind of person to let others fight his battles for him. However, witnessing this side of Deku, the part of him that fearlessly jumps into danger for him, over and over again, he finds it doesn't bother him as much as it used to. It comes to him like an epiphany, a grand discovery. He doesn't mind it. The shame and insecurity have long dissipated with all the ill feelings he harbored in his heart. There is another emotion swelling up inside his chest, making a home there, he can't put a name to quite yet.

It feels… good.

A cocky grin splits his face. "Kick his ass, shitty Deku. Don't embarrass yourself," Katsuki shouts.

Deku turns to look at him, smile as bright as the sun.

"Tch, stupid kids. I'll teach you to behave." Of course, the bulldozer's survival instincts are clearly nonexistent, because his next move is to laugh and charge forward, fully disregarding the red warning signs practically emitting from the nerd.

A sheen of black crystallized substance covers every inch of his skin as he swings a punch aimed to the back of Deku's ear. Huh, turns out the stupid bastard knows a thing or two about fighting dirty. He's trying to knock Deku out for good.

Deku swiftly dodges the punch with a crouch, giving himself the momentum to strike from below. The green lightening disappears as he pulls his fist back and directs his attack under the chin like a shooting rocket.

Katsuki is guessing the guy must possess a type of armor-like quirk, the sort to shield his body from direct impact. Not that it matters, because the moments Deku's fist collide with the man's jaw, shreds of black glass scatter across the pavement, hitting the ground like crystal raindrops. The sound is followed by cheers from the audience they seem to have attracted. Deku didn't even use One For All. Tch.

Katsuki smiles.

That's his nerd.

* * *

They are standing on the front porch of Kacchan's house, and Izuku is thinking this might be the right time to ask. He got him home before eleven like he promised. Izuku is a man of his word.

The moonlight basks Kacchan in a gentle glow as he turns to face him, blazer still hanging on his shoulders. He pulls on the fabric. "You probably want this back. Here-"

"Keep it," Izuku insists. "You can return to me on Monday." When they start class again. Another excuse to talk to him then, Izuku cannot pass the chance.

A delicate silence falls between them, and Izuku seizes the opportunity. This date may not have been exactly like he imagined it to be, and he may not have 'earned' enough point to make a move, but looking at Kacchan right now, he is filled with this fuzzy around the edges tangible warmth, and he finds himself brimming with the confidence he wishes he had at beginning of the night. He asks.

"Goodnight hug?" he shrugs his shoulders offering a tiny smile.

He wanted to ask for a kiss, but maybe this isn't really the right time. It's too soon, and the last thing he wants to do is to make Kacchan uncomfortable, especially after all that has happened. It's bad enough he couldn't get to hold his hand earlier, because some jerk thought it fit to crash their date. Yet he still yearns for his touch, and he doesn't want the night to be over without showing Kacchan a single gesture of affection. Of course, Izuku understands if he says no, it isn't his place to demand-

"Okay." Kacchan is standing rigidly with both his arms to his side. He hesitantly takes a small step forward, bringing himself in Izuku's personal space, close but not quite enough. He's looking pointedly at his feet, and is that a blush on Kacchan's neck?

Kacchan is just standing there. Motionless. As if he's waiting for Izuku to reach out first.

Oh.

_Oh._

He _is._

Izuku doesn't waste any time. He hurriedly springs his hands forward, encircling his fingers around Kacchan's waist and pulling his entire body weight towards him. He obviously hasn't thought this through, because Kacchan gasps and stumbles, hitting his chin on Izuku's shoulder. The poor suit jacket feebly tumbles to the ground in the process. He winces. Is it too soon to count his loses?

"S-sorry."

Kacchan doesn't answer. He simply positions himself upright, and ever so carefully raises his arms and wraps them around Izuku's neck, which fits easily due to the slight difference in height. Izuku takes this as his cue and moves his hands from Kacchan's waist to his back, pulling him closer, until their bodies are flush against one another.

Izuku, cheek pressed to Kacchan's solid bicep, feels his heart beating against his ribcage. He can't believe this. He's hugging Kacchan. After all this time.

The gentle evening air pick up around them as they stand in each other's embrace. The stars the only witness as the moon takes shelter behind the few clouds roaming the sky. And Izuku thinks, he's never felt this happy before in his life, standing here, in Kacchan's arms.

(Holding Kacchan, feeling his heartbeat against his chest, the strong pulse in his neck, his encapsulating warmth making him dazed.)

Izuku feels tears blurring his vision. He tries blinking them away, but they just start falling freely without his permission. With his face nuzzled on Kacchan's shoulder, his waterworks start soaking his red tank top. He panics and frantically pulls away, but Kacchan's hands on his shoulder hold him in place. "Kacchan, I'm sorry. Your shirt- I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, nerd," Kacchan says, almost affectionately, rubbing the drool spot from earlier with his thumb. "Now, we're even."

Kacchan smiles at him, small and rare, and Izuku can't help smiling back.

Their faces are so close now, Izuku can even smell Kacchan's minty-fresh breath. His grib on kacchan's hips tightens in anticipation (wait, when did they get there?), and he swallows. Oh, no, he's starting to sweat. He tries to look Kacchan in the eyes, unsure of where else to look.

Forest-green eyes meet crimson, and Izuku gulps. Kacchan's brows are furrowed and his lips are upturned, tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth. He looks…constipated, like he's concentrating very hard.

Hold on. Mint? They didn't have any mint-flavored snacks in the cinema. How did Kacchan-

His line of thought is interrupted by the faint smell of smoke.

Something is burning nearby.

Izuku is about to make a comment when Kacchan launches at him, pressing his mouth to Izuku's face clumsily. Izuku's cheeks are, unfortunately, still damp from his earlier display so Kacchan's lips unceremoniously slide to the junction between his ear and jaw instead of their intended target. Kacchan quickly pulls away, face aflame. In a matter of seconds, he picks up Izuku's discarded jacket and bolts to the house.

The door slams and Izuku is left wondering what just happened.

Did Kacchan just kiss him?

Izuku holds his fingers to where Kacchan's lips met his skin, touching the area gingerly, afraid of waking up if this really was a dream. His eyes go wide, sparkling with glee.

Oh my god, Kacchan just kissed him. Kissed him. He. Izuku. AH!

He pumps his fist in the air in silent celebration, barely containing the grin splitting his face. He has to tell All Might. And his mom. And all his friends. Everyone must know. How is he going to sleep tonight after this? Adrenaline is flooding his system like wildfire. If he only knew Kacchan's kiss would set him ablaze like this, he'd ask him for one before every big villain fight. He'll be unstoppable. That's the perfect strategy.

He pulls his notebook out and quickly flips it to the right page. Hands still shaky from excitement, he hastily scribbles down. Feeling satisfied, he snaps the notebook close and prances to where his mom just pulled up, practically skipping with delight.

_Izuku Midoriya's Ultimate Plan to Woo Kacchan and Win His Heart:_

_Phase three: First Date (SUCCESS)_

_Kiss Kacchan (cross out) Get kissed by Kacchan [check]_

His mother makes a remark on the hand-shaped burn marks on his shirt, but his head is too far in the clouds to pay that any mind.


End file.
